Last Sunday afternoon I went to see Josephine Foster at hipster hangout Cafe Oto in Dalston. The concert started at 2.30pm and very civilized it was too - have a nice cup of coffee, stroke my imaginary beard while listening to some pleasant sounds and be home in plenty of time for tea.
Josephine has a voice that is probably best described as distinctive. It took me a long time to acquire the taste, and I still have the odd twinge of buyers' remorse when she is at her warbliest, but in the right setting it can be a thing of beauty.
Here is the title track from 2012's "Blood Rushing" - one of the highlight's of Sunday's set - and a track from 2018's "Faithful Fairy Harmony". Both of those albums and many more are available from her Bandcamp site.
"Blood Rushing" - Josephine Foster
"Challenger" - Josephine Foster
The song following Challenger on the album is very very warbly.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a series for these pages, Warbly Wednesday?
DeleteI will give it serious consideration, but don't be too surprised if it doesn't happen (as tends to be the case with most ideas for series here).
DeleteHave been thinking of repeating the tour of Europe I did in 2020 - itself shamelessly nicked from CC and your tour of the US - but with a different continent, maybe Africa or South America. Watch this space.
I've been a fan of Josephine Foster for many years and finally got to see her live in 2016. Your Oto show sounds wonderfully intimate and, with a 2.30pm kick off, perfect for this aging punter - I'm envious.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know them already, I can highly recommend Foster's record as a member of The Children's Hour (2003's 'SOS JFK') and the 2004 self-titled Born Heller album, which were my entry points into her music.
Thanks, Swede, didn't know about The Children's Hour but will definitely check it out
DeleteJust one listen each to both tracks isn't enough I know but I've a strong feeling you've 'taken one for the team' here!! There are other female singers out there doing similar enough stuff without the warble distraction
ReplyDelete